Bahraini.TV

Talks suspended over ’sorcery’ row

by mahmood on 07/05/08 at 10:54 am

Parliament suspended discussions on criminalising “sorcery and witchcraft” yesterday, after a row erupted between an MP and government officials.

MP Ibrahim Busandal accused Justice and Islamic Affairs Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa of disregarding Islamic laws, which he said call for the death penalty against “sorcerers and witches”.

Shaikh Khalid told MPs that there was no need for the addition of an article criminalising those acts, because such crimes are punished under embezzlement laws.

“The Syrian law punishes it as cheating, the Omani law punishes it as another version of begging, while the Kuwaiti law punishes it as embezzlement, which judges here follow,” he said.

“Can anyone tell me here what is sorcery or witchcraft?”

“I have tried telling this to the foreign affairs, defence and national security committee, but they told me my presence was unnecessary and that they didn’t want to see my face.

“I am here to clarify what sorcery and witchcraft are and I am not saying that those acts are right, but they are forms of embezzlement, which is punishable by law.”

The government-drafted amendment was originally proposed by parliament.

Shaikh Khalid asked MPs what would judges do to solidify the sorcery or witchcraft crimes.

“Do they bring in leprechauns or ask them to testify that their assistance was asked by a sorcerer or witch?” he said.

Angered by the comments, Mr Busandal said that such acts were against Islamic Shariat and that the minister was not taking the issue seriously.

“Such acts are serious Islamic violations, but the minister wants us to forget the law and throw it out,” he said.

MP Mohammed Al Mizal said that people carrying such activities were bogus and cheats.

“We don’t need a law, because these people are fake,” he said.

“I dare them to harm me, the best of them all, because they are all liars and thieves and should be prosecuted according to that.”